Tokfursten/ The King of Fools

"A masterly opera", "A modern gem of an opera", "Psychological Opera suspense", "This is not a product for entertainment" - these are some of the headlines that The King of Fools received. This two act opera for 8 singers and 13 instruments made a tremendous impact when it was premiered in 1996. 

January 2020: The King of Fools is published  by Gehrmans musikförlag. 

In September 2011, surprisingly a review appeared in Opera Now - The Metropolitan Opera Guild´s newspaper. The opera is now available on the iTunes and on Spotify. 

NEWS: In July 2014, The King of Fools was staged at Vattnäs konsertlada and received acclaim in Swedish press (see Presscuts in Swedish). 

NEWS: In July 2018, one of the arias from The King of Fools was performed at the inauguration of Halland Vocal and Opera Festival. Joa Helgesson and Caroline Karpinska. (see video here)

More about the 2014 production here: 

 More
Opera in two acts written between 1994 and 1996.

Music by Carl Unander-Scharin.
Libretto by Carl Unander-Scharin, Nils Spangenberg, Magnus Carlbring, Elgard Jonsson. 
Based on the novel by Elgard Jonsson.
Commissioned by The International Vadstena Academy and Swedish Concert Institute (Svenska Rikskonserter).
First performance July 25, 1996 at the Vadstena Castle.

Encored in 1998 both in Vadstena and in Stockholm - at the Confidencen.
Recorded by Caprice Records in collaboration with Swedish Radio. CD released in 1999- CAP 22046
Printed music available through the composer.

• The King of Fools is represented on the Anniversary CD from Vadstena-Akademien, that can be ordered here:

The CD is available through info@electronic-opera.com, and on the iTunes (from 2011)
Cast: (in the above mentioned productions and on the CD)
• Mats Persson (Baritone)
• Anna Larsson (Mezzo)
• Carolina Bengstdotter-Ljung (Mezzo)
• Thomas Svensson (Baritone)
• Karin Frölén (Soprano)
• Göran Eliasson (Tenor)
• John-Erik Eleby (Bass)
• Clara Bystrand (Soprano)
• Conductor: Michael Bartosch

Setting:
• 8 singers
• Recorder, Flute/ Alto flute, Oboe/ English Horn, Basson/ ContraBassoon
• Trumpet, Trombone (Bass)
• Synthesizer (Ensoniq ASR-10/88), Percussion
•Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola, Cello, Double Bass


Audio Samples


 Presscuts Stage Performance


Presscuts CD 


Pressklipp Uppsättning (in Swedish)


Pressklipp CD (in Swedish)


Printed Music:
Gerhmans musikförlag.